R.E.M. hit the top of the Billboard 200 chart with their ninth studio release “Monster” on October 15, 1994. The album followed their 1993 release “The Automatic Box” and featured the singles "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?” “Bang and Blame,” “Strange Currencies,” “Crush with Eyeliner” and “Tongue.”When the album hit number one, it claimed the top spot from “II” by Boyz II Men. They held on at number one through October 28 of that year when “II” moved back into the top spot. “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks on September 24, 1994. The track was inspired by an incident in which news anchor Dan Rather was attacked on a New York City street by a man shouting “what’s the frequency, Kenneth?”